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Insurgents Hack U.S. Drones

Militants in Iraq have used $26 off-the-shelf software to intercept live video feeds from U.S. Predator drones, potentially providing them with information they need to evade or monitor U.S. military operations.

I thought the military worship encryption and high-grade software protection systems. How in the world can a $26 piece of software monitor satellite controlled drones? That new stealth predator is probably vulnerable also. Sad, Sad, Sad. Also means other things are can be intercepted. Damn shame.

This isn't something new... In WW2, the Nazi army found out the US was listening in when two planes were flying in a DMZ, and a German Pilot decided to try a test out... He used a radio to call in for permission to fire on a pilot, at which point, the guy in the US plane, swerved, very quickly, out of the way. Basically, they found out that the US was listening in on their communications, by pretending to call in for permission to fire on a pilot, who responded to the request.

I know what you actually meant but you are very wrong. The term insurgent is a polite way to classify people who disagree with you. The marine that went rambo killing 30 soldiers and wounded many more. Would you classify him as a terrorist because of his refusal to fight which he swore to do? He should of went AWOL but now he is surely going to get the death penalty.

Iran and N. Korea testing long range missiles. Is that to scare Israel or is it actually to shoot down those Satellites predators and other GPS weapons rely on? If that is successful, America already lost the war and the advantage. Soldiers would be too scared to fight.

This is bigger than you think. The article is trying to say Satellites need to be upgraded.

Analysis ~ Mark Ward, technology correspondent, BBC News

Don't know how accurate this is, but it's a start:

"As its name implies, SkyGrabber is a program that grabs data being broadcast
by satellites - it acts as a radio for data feeds and lets people tune into different
data streams as they might radio stations.

Anyone downloading via a wire only shares that net link with a few neighbours.
By contrast, anyone using a satellite net connection effectively shares all the
data they are getting with everyone in the area covered by a satellite.

Those other people do not see that data because their PC is only watching for
what they want. However, SkyGrabber eavesdrops on all the data being downloaded
over a link and turns it back into whole files.

The way that data is sent over the net makes it very easy for anyone to reconstruct
files. SkyGrabber has proved popular because it has good filters that let people
sort the types of files, mp3, wmv, jpg they want to get.

It also knows about many different satellites and can be re-tuned to look at other
data streams - such as those coming from drones.

The downside is that SkyGrabber users only get what other people want."

1. military knew about this flaw for years. Notice it's not a big thing when told to the fake media.
2. sold many UAV to other countries for, lets say, 12 million a unit
3. some of those countries cant be trusted; gets smuggled out the country
4. each unit sold has a unique Media Access Code that should give the manufacture\contractor code plus the unique serial number -- good for tracking
5. gun smuggler who profits from selling weapons and bullets sells your goods to the enemy....say Iran.
6. Iran uses those drones to monitor it's borders
7. friendly forces take advantage of the flaw to get the GPS and locations Iran is trying to protect.
8. friendly forces waiting for an OK to use bombers to destroy all marked target locations. Reason why Israel is constantly reminded of destruction -- troublemakers

9. Pentagon hackers confirmed they were able to control the UAV covertly from a lab setting. That was broadcasting on live tv. Now your enemies know the truth and wondering what they heck they bought.

10. Why would the military leak this to a reporter in the first place. Notice alot of in-the-know references? "don't call us...we'll call you"